Collapsible play pen and the like



May 7, 1957 J. B. TIGRETT 2,790,978

coLLAPsIBLE PLAY PEN AND THE: LIKE Filed sept. 29, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1 All a...

. INVENTOR Jbzfz Z5 Tyre/.

May 7, 1957 J. B. TIGRE-r1 2,790,978

COLLAPSIBLE PLAY PEN AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR JOz/Z B. gfeiz www@ COLLAISIBLE PLAY PEN AND THE LIKE John B. Tigrett, Jackson, Tenn.

Application September 29, 1955, Serial No. 537,422

9 Claims. (Cl. 5-98) This invention relates to a collapsible structure, and more particularly to a foldable play pen of lightweight construction which may be easily transported.

`It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a collapsible structure which can be converted with a minimum of effort into a rigid upright assembly.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a collapsible structure that can be folded in a novel manner.

-It is another object of the invention to construct a play pen which can be readily and compactly folded.

VFurther objects and `advantages of this invention will become evident as the description proceeds and from an examination of the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention and in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

`Figure l is a perspective view of a play pen embodying vthe invention, in upright position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view in elevation of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 Iis a bottom view of the play pen in collapsed position and folded for transporting.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side view showing lthe pivotal attachment of the legs to the upper hoop.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken through the upper hoop.

' Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken through the lower hoop.

Referring now to Figure l, there is shown a play pen constructed in accordance with the objects of the invention. The play pen is provided with an upper annular rigid frame member of aluminum tubing (see Figure 5) shaped as a continuous hoop which may be covered with an annular covering 60. The upper hoop is sup ported by four rigid legs 16 spaced at equal distances about its periphery and pivotally mounted to fold inwardly under its center when the play pen is collapsed.

The legs are constructed of solid rods bent together into a foot 17 and a pair of upper bifurcate portions 1S, 19, so as to form a generally Y-shaped configuration. The bifurcate portions are bent slightly outwardly at 20 above the foot end, inwardly at the upper extremities 22, 23, and then laterally at their ends 25, 26. The laterally bent ends of the legs are pivotally attached 'to brackets 29, 30 depending from the underside of the upper hoop 15. The brackets contain bores 31, 32 for receiving the laterally bent ends of the legs. The ends of the legs passing through the bores may be peened over to provide enlarged knobs 35, 36 which prevent the removal of the ends and 26 from the brackets.

The foot 17 of each leg is formed by foldingrthe rodding against itself and securing the two parts at 33 as by welding. A pad 34 of resilient material may be placed on the bottom of each foot so as 'to prevent scratching and damage to a floor. I

y The legs have'a length larger than the radius, but shorter than the diameter of the upper hoop 15. This particular length allows all the legs to be folded and secured together against the bottom wall 45 by a strap, as shown in Figuref, 1

A lower annular rigid frame member of aluminum tubing is shaped as a hoop 40 of slightly smaller diameter than the upper hoop 15. The lower hoop is slidably connected to one bifurcate portion of each leg 16 by U-shaped eyelets 41 projecting from its outer periphery. The lower hoop is therefore free to slide on the legs between the foot ends and the upper laterally bent ends. When the play pen is in upright position, the lower hoop serves to stabilize and impart rigidity 'to the play pen by holding the legs adjacent their foot ends against movement.

The folded foot end 17 of the legs acts as a stop to prevent lower hoop 40 from dropping to a tloor. It will be seen that when the play pen is in upright position the eyelets lil of the lower hoop are supported by the foot end at the junction of the bifurcate portions 1S, 19.

A bottom wall is provided for the play pen, of a circular shaped hard board, such as Masonite, of a slightly larger diameter 'than the lower hoop bill, and rests thereon when the play pen is in upright position. The bottom wall may be secured to the lower hoop by straps 46 which are fastened by snaps 47 mounted to the bottom wall. (See Figure 6.)

In the middle of the ybottom wall is a strap 48 passing through a pair ot" holes 50 and under the bottom, having a snap 49 so that the vstrap may be used to hold the legs together and against the bottom when the play pen is collapsed, as most clearly shown in Figure 3. The strap also serves as a handle which may be used to pull the lower frame member toward the upper frame member when .collapsing the play pen.

Between the upper and lower hoops is secured a side wall of collapsible flexible material, such as a net, preferably of synthetic fiber. As shown in Figure 5, this net is passed over the upper hoop from the inside and held thereto by a drawstring 53 disposed under the hoop. The lower end of the -net passes under the bottom flooring and is held in position by a drawstring 54.

A resilient covering oil, preferably of vinyl plastic, of annular shape with a continuous open side, shown in Figure 5, may be placed over the upper hoop to hold the netting in position. Such a covering also permits rolling of the play pen on the upper hoop when it is to be transported without soiling of the netting.

In order to collapse the play pen from the upright position shown in Figure l, into the position shown in Figure 3, the operator reaches into the play pen, grasps the strap 48, and pulls the bottom wall upwardly, which moves the lower hoop toward the upper hoop. This automatically folds the legs inwardly under the middle of the bottom wall. The bent upper extremities 22, 23 provide suilicient clearance to allow the legs to fold over the bottom hoop and to -be laid against the bottom wall. The length of the legs being greater than the radius causes them to cross at the middle of the bottom wall so that they may be held together as in Figure 3, by strap 48.

in order to set up the play pen from the folded position in Figure 3, the strap 48 is first loosened to free the legs. The upper hoop is then grasped with both hands and held horizontally. By merely shaking the play pen the legs automatically unfold and the bottom wall drops to the proper position on lower hoop 40, which in turn rests on the stop of foot end 17 of the legs.

In the drawing and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in form and in the proportion ot' parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggestV or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as further defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible play pen comprising: an annular frame member; a plurality of normally depending legs pivotally secured at one end at spaced points on said annular frame member and adapted to normally abut a supporting surface for said play pen at their opposite ends; a circular door assembly slidably connected at spacedpoints thereon to said leg members, said leg members having a con figuration and said circular floor assembly having a diameter such that the lower ends of said leg members can be folded under said door assembly into close association with the bottom thereof when the latter is moved slidably up said leg members into close association with said annular' frame member to collapse said play pen; and a flexible sidewall member normally stretched between said annular frame member and said floor assembly but adapted to be folded therebetween when said play pen is collapsed.

2. A collapsible play pen comprising: an upper, annular frame member; a lower annular frame member; a plurality of legs pivotally mounted at one end on said upper frame member and adapted to normally abut a supporting surface for said play pen at their opposite ends; means slidably connecting said legs to said lower frame member; a circular floor member of substantially the same diameter as said lower frame member supported by said lower frame member; said legs having a configuration and said lower annular frame member having a diameter such that the lower ends of said legs can be folded under said lower annular Vframe into close association with the bottom of said lloor member when said lower annular frame member is moved slidably up said leg members into close association with said upper annular frame member to collapse said play pen; and a fiere ible sidewall member normally stretched between said upper and said lower frame members but adapted to be folded therebetween when said play pen is collapsed.

3. A collapsible play pen comprising: an annular frame member; a plurality of normally depending legs pivotally secured at one end at spaced points on said annular frame member and adapted to normally abut a supporting surface for said play pen at their opposite ends; a Vcircular floor assembly slidably connected at spaced points thereon to said leg members; stop means on said leg members for limiting the sliding movement of said floor assembly thereon; said leg members and said floor assembly having configurations such that said leg members are automatically folded into close association with said annular frame member when said play pen is collapsed by upward movement of said floor assembly into close association with said annular frame member; and a flexible sidewall member normally stretched between said frame member and said floor assembly but adapted to be folded therebetween when said play pen is collapsed.

4. A collapsible play pen comprising: an upper annular frame member; a plurality of leg members pivotally mounted at the upper ends thereof on said upper frame member and adapted to normally abut a supporting surface for said play pen at the lower ends thereof; a lower annular frame member slidably connected to said leg members; a circular floor member of substantially -the same diameter as said lower frame member and supported thereby; said leg members and said lower frame member having configurations such that said leg members are folded automatically against the lower surface of said floor member with said lower frame member disposed therebetween when said play pen is collapsed by upward movement of said lower frame member into close association with said upper frame member; stop means on said leg members for limiting the sliding movement of said lower frame member thereon; and a generally cylindrical, exible member secured at its opposite peripheral edges to said upper and lower frame members respectively so as to form a relatively taut sidewall for said play pen when said lower frame member abuts said stop means.

5. A collapsible play pen of the character described in claim 4 further comprising: means for manually applying a lifting force to the upper side of said floor member to cause said floor member and said lower frame member to be moved into close association and to automatically collapse said play pen.

6. ln a collapsible play pen an annular frame meml ber; a plurality `of normally depending legs pivotally secured at one end at spaced points on said annular frame member and adapted to normally abut a supporting surface for said play pen at their opposite ends; a circular floor assembly slidably Iconnected at spaced points thereunto said leg members, said leg members and said floor assembly having configurations such that said leg members are `automatically folded into close association with said annular frame member when said play pen is collapsed by upward movement of said oor assembly into close association with said annular frame member.

7. ln a collapsible play pen an upper annular frame member; a lower annular frame member; a plurality of legs pivotally mounted at one end on said upper frame member and adapted to normally abut a supporting surface for said play pen at their opposite ends; and means slidably connecting said legs to said lower frame member, said `legs and said lower frame member having configurations such that said leg members are automatically folded substantially into the plane of said upper frame member by upward movement of said lower frame member into close association with said upper frame member.

8. In a collapsible play pen an upper annular frame member; a plurality of normally depending legs pivotally secured at one end at spaced points on said upper annular frame member so as to be movable in radial planes normal to the plane of said member; a lower annular frame member of smaller diameter than said upper frame member, said lower frame member being slidably connected to said leg members; and stop means on said leg members for limiting the sliding movement of said lower frame member thereon, said leg members having a configuration such that said leg members are automatically folded substantially into the plane of said upper frame member by upward movement of said lower frame member into close association with said upper frame member.

9. In a collapsible play pen an annular frame member; a plurality of normally depending legs pivotally secured at one end at spaced points on said annular frame member so as to be movable in radial planes normal to the plane of said annular frame member, and adapted to normally abut a supporting surface for said play pen at their opposite ends; a circular floor assembly slidably connected at spaced points thereon to said leg members; and stop means on said leg members for limiting the sliding movement of said floor assembly thereon, said leg members and said floor assembly having configurations such that said leg members are automatically folded into close association with said annular frame member when said play pen is collapsed by upward movement of said floor assembly into close association with said annular frame member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 251,651 Starr Dec. 27, 1881 767,680 Barton Aug. 16, 1904 2,563,915 Boisselier Aug. 14, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,953 Great Britain 1907 71,060 Sweden Feb. 3, 1931 

